Drapht Verbally Flawless at the Gov

Drapht’s star has been steadily rising since dropping his sophomore album Who am I in the Winter of ‘09. With a distinct styling and down to earth nature, the Perth born MC has accrued a substantial following across the country and they came in droves to witness an energetic performance at the Gov on Friday the 8th. His stellar show on the nationwide Rapunzel tour was complemented by some impressive supporting acts, with the likes of Briggs, DJReflux of the Funkoars and local talentK21 turning in solid performances.

DJ Reflux set the tone early, flaunting his proficiency on the decks and mixing some classic hip-hop with a modern flavour. As the night wore on, Reflux was given the opportunity to reinforce his status as one of SA’s finest hip-hop DJs as he kept the atmosphere alive in between acts.

Local lyricist K21, a late addition following Dialectrix’s unavailability, held his own amongst his more experienced brethren, justifying his inclusion in the line up. After a slow start,theset kicked into gear and gathered momentum following the catchy Garden of Eden. K21’s rendition of local favourite Funkoar’s This is How picked up the crowds interest and showcased his ability to make the track his own. After an anonymous start, the young South Aussie MC managed to get the crowd on his side by the end of the set, a testament to the quality of the virtual unknown.

Briggs, back performing after his Australian tour in support of industry giant Ice Cube, brought his trademark hard hitting beats and even harder hitting rhymes to the Gov. In a performance that oozed confidence, it was clear that Briggs was drawing on some inspiration from his experiences on tour. As usual, hebrought his entourage to the fore, providing some added energy and life to the set, with Bad Move and The Wrong Brother proving to be the highlights.

Suffice to say, Drapht well and truly lived up to expectations. The crowd’s emphatic response toWho Am I served as a reminder of the overwhelming popularity of the west coast MC. During the critically acclaimed Falling, Drapht’s raw energetic performance on stage conveyed just how much he was enjoying himself, stopping only briefly to energize the audience. The captivating M-Phazescollaboration Where’s Elvis got the whole crowd vocal as the memorable chorus rang out. Finally, as the all too familiar guitar riff of 2008’s smash hit Jimmy Recard was unleashed, the fans went ballistic. Far and away Drapht’s most popular track, Jimmy Recard garnered mainstream attention and a top 10 placing in the hallowed Triple J’s hottest 100. A wordsmith of the highest order, it was evident that Drapht’s lengthy off-period had done little to dampen his unquestionable talent and penchant for live shows.

Drapht’s eagerly anticipated 4th album, The Life of Riley, is scheduled for release in late February with an album tour projected for April/May.